Torn Asunder

A world torn by demons, spirits and man.

The caravan site, easily located by following the smoke that is darkening the sky. With-in a few hundred feet you can already smell the stench of burning flesh and clothing. The group, first on the scene, bares witness to a horrific scene. The light moans of the living are carried on the wind with the sounds of gnawing and gnashing. It doesn’t see you, but you see it, a small hoard of imps and a single small abomination.
As the imps pull apart the bodies of the handful of living people they dance about in the spray of blood, like children would in a sprinkler in summer heat. Their gleeful laughter at the shower of blood send chills down your spines. The imps, hand over hand, forming lines, passing the limbs and body parts upwards to the abomination. It pulls the meat and flesh off the bones with it’s tendril limbs and visibly savors the dripping fresh meat.
The sound of glass shattering brakes the mood in an instant. Instead of looking to the imps, it is the good doctor that heads turn to instead. Mike Hardy grins a fools grin at the great use he just got out of his empty whisky bottle. “Its a good a day as any, lets get this over with.” He then pulls out a loaded handgun and crouches down taking Aim at the big nasty in the middle.

Bill Asche strides forward with menacing steps, Long rifle held two handed at his hip and lever action shots cannoning away with thunderous rapport.

“By the damnation you spawn from you shit filth! Get yer foul rotten puke off MY people.”

Barely swaying or taking any precautions, Asche’s pace is neither a run nor a stalk but a purposeful advance into the hell the poor souls have been beset upon.

“You forsaken fuck heads need to get some good twenty millimeter purification and understand that this spooge stain ya made of the land is bein set right!”

The unsuspecting reavers of the wounded are jolted to action as one of them takes a large caliber to the chest, throwing them back into the tall grass in a spray of black blood and another finds his head spinning to see the face of a large insect as it lunges a knife into it’s chest.

Taking advantages of the gap in the line Varanus runs up to those still living and uses To-Zai-Zen to shield them from the demons. Memories of Varanus’s past flood his mind making him shutter slightly as he charges to his target. “No more shall die by you filth.”

Ellisar lets out a low grumble looking upon the site before him. A thousand yard stare wouldn’t begin to cover the distance of his gaze.

He immediately breaks for the abomonation amongst the carnage, leaping from side to side along the way, and leaping over the imp line effortlessly. Coming to a stop before the creature, Ellisar takes a defensive stance.

“I shall not return you from where you came…but send you to oblivion you deserve.”

Joseph closes on the scene and suddenly goes from frantic and rushed to cold and caulated, its like a switched turned from a troubled man to a warrior. His eyes narrow and thin to points and he quickly scans the scene. "Careful with the firearms, they still are mostly resistant to modern weapons.

As he speaks his hands drop and he moves forward with a calculated effort. Both hands lift up the weapons a cross bow and a mace respectively one in each hand, and he makes his best effort to get the attention of the imps by laying waste to everything in reach. His hand levys the crossbow and takes a center aim on the furthest imp, and then as soon as he fires he drops the crossbow letting it slide behind his back as he puts both hands around the mace and lays into the next nearest imp. While doing this his eyes are constantly scanning the battlefield to put himself in the best position to be able to defend and prepare for oncoming assault.

After doing a quick scavenge of supplies the group heads back to Avalon. You’ve learned from the soldiers that after the sundering a large number of politicians, government authorities and families took refuge in different bunkers in and around Philadelphia. About 5 years later they opened the bunkers and started to rebuild. This new formed government is now sending out envoys and troops to aid nearby locations as best it can, trying to reestablish some form of infrastructure.

When you finally make it back to Avalon, having stopped for the night, friends and neighbors happily greet the returning travelers. Word travels fast and a council if assembled with-in an hour to meet to new envoys. Anyone willing to attend the meeting is free too and several citizens join in audience.

In the meeting

“Honorable council, " Speaks Captain Winthrom, “We are hear to extend a hand in friendship and cooperation. The United States Government is no more, but has been reformed to face these new times that has fallen upon the american people. For nearly 20 years the world has been silent, lines of communication and trust torn apart by vicious attacks by Demons and Marauders. We offer you resources and structure, someone to fall back upon should you need them.”

“And what is it you ask for in return?” Speaks one of the council members, “Nothing in life is free. Expectantly trust and assistance.”

“We ask only for the same in return. You have resources and location, Here you have a railroad, unused, but could come alive again. You have skilled labor that can teach others, many of the settlements we’ve encountered haven’t established an education base. Myself and my squad here were trained and educated by the military soldiers that were buried with the old government.”

The council members mumble to themselves, inaudible to most but the keenest of ears.

“The council with now open the floor to any citizen with questions.”

Ellisar will look patiently around for a moment and clear his throat. Slowly he extends his arm into the air. When called upon he will stand and address the council.

“This is all fine and well. And I mean this with respect, but what are your plan to contend with the demons?”

Cloak nods fervently in agreement. “Not many remember the time of the sundering. The government was unable to combat the demons then in the height of its power. What has changed?”

“Knowledge, The event caught the world by surprise, no one was prepared. Now we know how to push them back, how to kill them. With a coordinated effort we could reclaim our lost lands and rebuild. " says the Captain, his words filled with an unwavering certainty.

“And are ya gunna share dat “KNOWLEDGE” ?" … Asche spits to the side.

“Are ya gunna bring yer whirlly birds here an put down sum guns an sum blood wit desse folks ? Or ya gunna bleed em fer what ya kin an us em as a front line ?” spits again to the ground but more directed to the captain. The long rifle gripped in one hand by mid barrel begins to punctuate each point with a firm thrust

“Ya gunna pay these folks fer the year of the fight the done did holdin these baddies at bay while ya cowered under the rock ? Now, donna be gitten me wrong, I most surely am giddy ya saved the ways BEFORE this shit stunk up the land,…”Ashes face flushes more red with each sentence, the words become more forcefully pronounced as he continues.
“… but ya best get a decorum of respect and penance in yer tone and yer mannerisms when yer addressing them that kept the nasties from diggin into yer osteridge hole. I say ya show these folk sum right form of gratitude for the life they lived and the lives that were lost in the Masses figuring out how ta survive”

A burning intense Anger bleeds with Anguish from mouth to eyes, and after a blink between depression and rage, The rifleman turns with violence and strides from the meeting

A new found respect for the human surges through Cloak. “Truer words could not be said.”

Both the Captain and the very room seems to be taken aback by William’s impassioned vocals. Even those without a sense of magic can feel as if his will is imposing itself upon the room.
“What did you think would happen? The world, our very existence, our sense of reality was attacked. When confronted with an unknown enemy of unknown strength you hide. you hide and you wait, you look for a weakness.” The Captain states, asserting his presence. "You do what you have to to survive. That’s what we did, and that’s what you did. I don’t see you trying to acquire resources from the KKK. They have advanced polymers, why aren’t you trying to get their resources? We are OFFERING you some of ours because we can now. "

William leaves the council hall.

Joseph looks up when William speaks nodding with a sense of respect but still not speaking He takes near the back of the group constantly watching behind them for other threats possibly following them. He does chuckle when he speaks of the KKK.

“Some of them used to be members of our colonies. Retreated into their compound with their own. They have no desire to share with those who would allow beast men within their community. And we dont have the resources to risk raiding them. It would cause to great a loss.”

He nods and smiles.

“If your offering us your resources, you should come with us after were all done and meet with the community elders, they would be glad to trade with you. We rebuilt the refinery to make smaller scale equipment since we dont have the people to manage to run the whole thing.”

Hastily the men pull the contents of the metal crate out onto the deck of the downed chopper. It appears to be a slightly damaged metal box, which many of your recognize as a computer case, They crack the case quickly and pull a small black chip from inside the box and put it into a smaller display, it flickers and comes to life, flashing displays of information and video at the two men observing the screen. The leader tilts his head to the side as if trying to listen to something on his shoulder.

“Excuse me. This craft was attacked approximately 18 miles due south-west from here. While passing over a community of three settlements. Who here is from that location?” He gestures about the crowd, including the Klansman.

The Klansman tries to struggle, with no success, against Ellisar’s hold.

Cloak speaks up and say “I am from there.”

Ellisar remains ever vigilant on his grip.
“Look here, what is that all about? I think perhaps you should offer us a little information as to who you are first and what you want.”

Joseph eyes the bizzare insect like beastman. Their is a sense of distaste and disgust in his expression that he seems to be making an effort to suprress and contain, but its hard to fully bury. It seems to not be specifically due to Cloaks apperance but more the type of creature he is and the gross things often said about that sort of insect.

Joseph slides his gun down further his hand still on the grip but not holding it any ready position.

“Yeah it circled around a few times, then got taken down by imps that appeared to burst out of the ground, but likely were just hiding in the trees. They overwhelmed it untill they took out the pilots and I assume he crashed it trying to kill as many of them as possible. The bear is right, Who they hell are you?”

He then glances over at Elsair, “Why dont you just put in him a sleeper hold and knock his ass out, and then toss him over your shoulder, your just wasting your strength showing off if we do get attacked by those imps.”

Ellisar nods as Joseph speaks, then raises an eyebrow at the “showing off comment” .
“As you wish.” With a consenting shrug, he shifts his grip and wraps his massive arm around the KKK member’s neck.
“We will see you later” he whispers in the mans ear as he tightens the hold.

The lead man looks at Ellisar, “My name is Captain Oliver Winthrom, I’m with the DC Militant Sect.”

Ellisar nods.
“I am Ellisar Campbell the wanderer, I can’t answer for these others as we haven’t actually met. What is the DC Militant Sect? And what is it you are looking for that we may better answer you?”

It doesn’t take long for the Klansman to sink into the oblivion of solicited slumber.
“Could you show us where the Imps came from?” Captain Oliver directs to Joseph.

Joseph rubs his head thinking about it and glancing back across the woods towards the village. “Perhaps. I watched it get hit so I could make an educated guess since I have been surviving off these lands for quite a while now. But the Beastmen are right. I aint to prone to helping you untill I know who you are, why your here, and why you left these 3 villages totally without protection when you clearly have way more resources than we do.” Joseph looks frustrated and highly annoyed.

Captain Winthrom looks at Joseph. "We’re here to asses the situation and threats in this area. " He looks back at his squad. “We are a secondary scout team sent to give ground evaluations of the area surrounding Cleveland Ruins and any surrounding high tech facilities.”

Joseph blinks and nods glancing at the others to make sure they have a chance to voice their questions, “Who do you work for?”

Rather abruptly cloak speaks up. " why does it matter who they work for or why they want to know where the chopper was attacked? These kind are all the same. They are attached to the ways of before. If they linger the demons will come and the villages will suffer. The faster they leave the sooner we will be safe. " cloak turns to the leader of the group and says. "I will take you to where you wish to go so long as you leave my villages in peace. Few know the areas in this region better than I. "
Captain looks at Cloak. "I intend no harm, please, show me the way. " He motions his hands for his men to keep up and they ll pack in behind Cloak.
With haste to stay well ahead of the troops but still within sight of them cloak shows them the way.

“Lead on bug … but ya best be more respectfull of those ‘BEFORE’ comments… " Ashe states, as he lovingly polishes the alloy long rifle.

“And why aint ya askin bout the crew of the chopper flyboy ?”

The captain remains silent, but acknowledges Bill’s question.

Joseph grunts and watches them closely following the bug and the rest of the crew but following from the rear eyes constantly glancing backwards.

He continues to scan the people involved and look for any major markers on them that might indicate what unit, squad, branch of the military, exct organization they might be from?
Ellisar effortlessly tosses the clansmen over his shoulder. “Anyone have some rope, twine or duct tape?”

One of the five men turns and begins walking up to Joseph as the others continue salvaging the craft. He stops, a few meters from Joseph, obviously prepared for any assault. though you can not see his eyes, you can feel his gaze passing back and forth across the group judging and weighing each of you. Frantically behind them two of the men seem to be communicating with intensity. A disagreement in action or opinion, your not sure. The man in front looks up at the chopper and it begins to pull away. and the dull silence once again fills the area, the deafening sounds finally fading away.

He turns to the inside of the chopper. "We need whats in that box, but it’s been wielded shut by the heat. Get us whats in the box and you can have strip everything else. "

Leonard looks around, but sees no reason not to at least open the container and see what is inside.
While he walk forward the men pull away giving him a clear path, firearms lowered to the ground.

Cloak scuttles about, seeking a greater vantage point to watch the events unfold with advantage.

Varanus, cautious of why five men need a box opened by a complete stranger, moves closer to the action, keeping his arms back closer to his shields. He still tries to maintain a semblance of non-aggression.

The men give no berth to the lizard. while not blocking his path, they work to keep him disengaged from the situation.

Ash walks up, cradling the heavy long rifle in the crook of his left arm as he loosens the quick-release straps on his backpack and swings it forward with his right arm. A quick second of rummaging around by feel as he keeps his eyes on the various parties and he brandishes a long cylinder with a capped top on one end …

“This ’ill cut into that soft metal quickly”

“We appreciate the thought,” voices the ‘leader’, “but we don’t want to risk further damage to the contents. The brute force mustered by a beast breed should suffice.”

Reluctantly Ellisar allows the situation to cool down, but does not falter in his iron grip upon hus prisoner. He looks to the soldier seemingly in charge.

“The end state of this man relies entirely on your treatment of us. I wish him no more harm than you or he directs our way.”

The ‘leader’ turns to Ellisar. "His condition means nothing to us. He attacked you, defend yourself as you see fit. We are not the law here, nor do we wish to be. "
Jospeh stays at position with the other man that approached him lowering his gun slightly more but not removing his hand from the base. His other hand on the other end does slide away from the firing mechanism and slides down his side. Hes not willing to let all his defenses down but is willing to not press threat if they aren’t.
He also glances over at Ash, “Thermite aye? I thought wed used up the whole supply some time ago.”

He glances at the one in charge, “Assuming whats in their isnt gonna have any issues with the heat that should cut right through if brute force dont work.”
“Lenoard, help them if you can. Even if they keep their major valuables the scrap is still good to us.”

The sounds of sheering metal cut through the field. Almost cracking the air. A quick scramble to the chest and three men push Leonard aside, gathering the contents.

Dodging quickly one side to another The insectoid runs to the furthest fleeing KKK member Thrusting his blade into his armor. The Klans-men attempts the sounds of a scream, his lung fills with blood and he slides from the blade onto the ground.

keeping the ‘biotch’ in the crook of his shoulder Bill takes up a stance, lining his shots along the two free moving klans-men. He steadies and readies himself, not trying to take their lives, but possibly their fighting strength he he fires once and shouts

“Don’t kill if you don’t have to … keep em alive !”

As the klans-men is taken off his feet, body thrown aside by the round like a rag doll.

Ellisar keeps a massive and firm grip on the soldier’s arm, pushing him forward keeping his feet from maintaining even footing. He makes his way towards the remaining KKK using his meat shield as a buffer.

“Mind your positioning boys! Keep apart and make it hard for them to hit!” Observing the charging lion he shouts “Keep low on the charge!”

Keeping his shields up Varanus surges forward, giving the impression of a charging wall. With thunderous yell Varanus slams into a center Klans-men, knocking him back onto the ground, alongside his fiend. Varanus then immediately leaps onto the closest of the two and proceeded to pound the bastards face in with the sides of his shields. “I’ll show you the Devil! I’ll bring you to him! Then you’ll know who the Devil worshipers were!”

Joseph continues flanking to the side taking note of the constant mayhem. He shifts his aim back and forth… realizing only that all,save one struggling against the ursan, lay upon the ground, dead or unconscious.

The field falls strangely silent, as the pulse of combat begins to still. A slow raising thunder breaks the low-hanging over cast as another helicopter descends above the field.

One of the KKK members looks up at Joseph, seeing his state of heightened readiness. “Tell you what, friend. You shoot that lion there, in the head, and we’ll let you and the other human go. See no point in spilling the blood of god’s children.” As the different members train their guns away from the humans and now doubly on the Ursan and the Lizard. "But we gots no problem killing these devil beasts. "
Slowly the small group moves forward in a militant fashion looking to close distance.

Josephs hand clenches the crossbow for a moment before letting go eyes darting up to Leonard and then across to the Ursine. He doesnt want to be the one to start the shooting, but something in his eyes says that he desperately wants to make these hypocrites suffer.

With a sigh Ellisar lowers his head and gives a dissatisfied shake at the oncoming clansmen.

“…just never learn…”

His head darts up as he lets out a roar, his arms outstretched while saliva drips and sprays from his massive teeth. He leaps forward and starts to charge on all fours. He zig-zags forward, preventing a steady aim to be maintained.

Within what seems a blink of an eye he is upon one of the KKK who came towards him. Leaping from his fours he flies at the man in ways unseen of creatures of his bulk and mass. But just as fast as the fury was there, it was gone. He was cool again, and his movements fluid.

Ellisar bats away the rifle and kicks the mans legs from a stable platform, spinning him around, locking his other arm behind him as the unmistakable sound of bones snapping is heard.

All the while his gaze is on the remaining soldiers standing in the back.

“Your move.”

The Remaining KKK stagger at the charge, unsure of what to do.

Using the Ursan as a distraction. aking careful aim he lines up a shot on the kkk member that has been talking. He throws a dagger at his neck aiming for a spot between the armor plates. He stands up and with at screech at the KKK
“CRUELESTFALSECLAN OF WHITE! HEREYOUFACE A FIGHT ON 2 FRONTS! THESEOTHERSHEREMAYNOTWISHUNNECESSARYVIOLENCETOWARDSYOU, BUT I HAVESEENTHEATROCITIESYOUCOMMITAGAINST MY KINDANDEVENTHOSE OF YOURFELLOWHUMANS. I TELLYOUTHIS: IF YOU DO NOTFLEENOWTHOSEWHOTHEDEMONS DO NOTCONSUME I WILLFINISHWITHTHISBLADE” as the blade returns to his hand he flicks off the blood of the lead member whose throat he just slashed.

The KKK solider drops to the ground, holding his neck, his clansmen armor filling with blood.

Joseph lets out a hooting shout and begins to flank forward and to the right his hand sliding away from the mace and lifing the crossbow with one hand and sliding the other hand other it to brace. Some bloods gonna roll today. And at this point the odds are in their favor, hopefully him and Bill arent the only ones with ranged weapons though, because thats a whole lot of rifles.

Varanus eyes train intently on the advancing KKK. “Devil beasts?” Varanus mutters under his breath, “oh, you’re getting it now. I’m nothing like those murdering hell spawn.” Varanus keeps his voice down so at most Ellisar would be able to hear. pulling his shields up tighter and positions himself in front of Ellisar, between him and the remaining KKKs, the Komodo Dragon readied himself for fire.

Enraged by the KKK’s statements, Leonard steadily steps forward with shield bared and amortization in especially good order as he says to the KKK “and you dare to call yourselves the children of God?! After you kill the very creatures which came before you which God has deemed now worthy to have stewardship over the earth! And you say you murder these new creations of God in his name?! And you further blaspheme the word of God by saying if God be for you who can be against you?!” with a fearsome disorientating roar that trembles the ground, and with words fashioned to be feared by any man, Leonard, “Nay, your god will not protect you here today!” and in a blur of golden fur and blinding metal Leonard’s bold faith takes shape as he charges the KKK with immense speed, strength, and conviction.

The two groups look across the south side of the field at one another. Stealth difficult if not impossible in this terrain. The large Ursan Beastman with a large Reptilian Beastman bare no signs of malice, only readiness. The two Humans and the Felidaen Beastman hold themselves the with the stature of the battleworn, at the edge of battle waiting for a sign. Silence ripples across the burned field. The heightened tension only amplified by the hardness of breath as the smoke and ash in the air seems to crawl down their throats.

“NO BODYMOVE!” Shouts out a voice from the north side of the field. As 5 Soliders, covered in head to toe with a tight white body suit. Armor plates visable under the mesh. Each brandishing the red iron cross of the KKK, a thin blade at there sides and a long rifle currently trained on each of you, “I suggest you folks just walk away, this is our site now and that’s just how it’s going to be.”

Leonard keeps his gaze for a moment upon the 5 KKK and the 2 beastmen. From the side of his mouth he acknowledges Joseph’s eagerness for retribution, “Brother Joseph, I can sense your readiness to engage the enemy, and I can tell you’re of great skill with that crossbow, but there is a greater threat here then those KKK.” Leonard fixes his gaze upon the wreckage. Leonard believes there is something here hidden from plain sight that radiates demonic energy. He grips his shield ready to defend against the possible gun fire and demonic threat and takes a cautious but well planted step to help intercept gun fire toward Joseph and William.

Looking between the members of the other group and then back to the KKK soldiers, Ellisar takes in a cool breath and stares down at the distant barrel pointed at him.

“Now now boys, we already have the demons to fight, must we contend with each other as well?”

He doesn’t shift his stance or use aggressive hand gestures. The fact he is part bear is almost hard to fathom given his collected and casual demeanor.

Varanus glances over to Ellisar, “It’s a nice sentiment you’re going for.” Varanus knew this would end in a fight; there was no denying that. But something was off… the wreck seemed…ominous. Varanus’ breathing became heavy as he contemplated the idea of a swarm of demons spawning from the wreck and cascading over everyone present. He began looking around for something he could use as a bunker if such a thing happened, eyes darting around the scene.

Joseph raises a brow when the Ursine speaks honestly suprised he would try to treat with KKK. He already knows their answer will be bullets and violence. Their are simply too many beastmen in this group for the KKK to be comfortable.

When Leonard speaks though Joseph tilts his head to the side eyes glancing up at the large Lion and then his eyes dart back over to the Ursine making eye contact again and then darting his eyes over to the wreck hopefully to indicate that there is a potential third threat, but its hard to know if the Ursine will get it with the distance across the field.

While he doesnt know Leonard well he trusts his instincts and slides the other hand down unclipping the Steel Mace that hangs on his other hip. He stands in an interesting pose now crouched slightly with both hands down on weapons almost gunfighter style, but yet one hand hovers over a crossbow, the other over a considerably large steel mace.

The Helicopter is surrounded by smoldering trees and the almost peaceful raising embers of still glowing lumps of incinerated wild wheat. Little is left of the helicopter itself; most of it’s primary components seem to be spread out across the field. It sits in the field, the tail boom sheered from the fuselage several yards away and the cabin folded like an aluminum can.
The eerie silence of the scene, a cutting edge machine torn from the sky, it’s crew gone. No bodies, only the bubbled paint of the chopper’s ID number.

How it all began

On the streets children played. In the school yard teaches prepared their lessons from partially torn textbooks. The bakers and butchers were having a day, packaging and preparing the community food stocks for distribution. Along the wall the men and women of the guard kept a watchful eye for any threats along the horizon.
On a clear day you can see the the smoke from the fires of Union and Overlook from Avalon. The horizon etched with trees and lush fields. From a distance look safe and welcoming. Yet under the calm exterior creatures burrowed in the dirt. vial entities awaiting prey greater then passing deer.
The few birds scattered into the sky as the noise shook and rattled the homes of the alliance communities. Like a passing roll of thunder the helicopter broke that usual dull sounds of the settlements. The guards looked on in shock and awe. It’s been nearly 15 years since anyone has sen a working machine of flight.
Quickly the helicopter flew over the cities and began to ascend once again. Before it could gain much altitude small bipedal creatures came hurdling from the horizon. Those lucky enough to make it; latched onto the helicopter, clawing and tearing at it’s metal, the others, painted the walls and surrounding area with their own natural pigments.
The machine soon loses control it’s body spinning in the air. Several bodies fall from the sky, to high and to far away to tell if they were men of demon. Soon strips of metal are pulled away and the hull buckles. The craft is nearly torn apart by the power of it’s own engine, the raw uncontrolled torque twists it like a Twizzlers and the craft is flung into the distance like a toy.